Harvest Festival
"Harvest Festival" is the seventh episode of season 3 of the NBC television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on March 17, 2011 to 4.08 million viewers. Storyline The Harvest Festival is right around the bend and Leslie surprises everyone by booking a miniature horse and legendary Pawnee celebrity named Li'l Sebastian! All are excited except for Ben, who just doesn't understand what the big deal is about the horse. The chief of the local Wamapoke Tribe, Ken Hotate, visits the parks department and requests the harvest festival be moved, citing evidence it was built upon the site of a Wamapoke massacre. When Leslie explains it is too late, Ken warns them the festival may become cursed, although he privately admits to the documentary crew the curse is fake, stating that he knows "two things about white people: they love Rachel Ray, and they are terrified of curses." The day before the festival, Ann works the first aid tent, confiding to Donna that she's still reeling from the break-up with Chris. April tells Andy she loves him, but grows angry when he replies, "Dude, shut up! That is awesomesauce!" Joan Callamezzo arrives to report on the festival and is determined to find a negative story, but finds herself getting excited over Li'l Sebastian. She initially fails to find a scandal, but then overhears Leslie and Ben discussing the dreaded curse. She also overhears Tom tell Leslie that Li'l Sebastian escaped his pen. Tom blames Jerry, even though it was entirely Tom's fault. Suddenly, the Pawnee media swarm the festival to cover the curse, endangering its opening the next day with the bad press, with one reporter connecting Ben's failure as a teen mayor with the curse. Now believing himself to be the curse, Ben bails from the festival. As Leslie reassures the reporters there is no curse, the power generator blows out, plunging things into darkness – and stranding most of the parks department on a Ferris wheel! Using the blackout as an excuse, Ann takes Donna's advice to "make out with random people", starting with Kiley, her attractive but thick-headed patient. On the Ferris wheel, with April and Andy arguing below him and Tom and Jerry arguing above him, an annoyed Ron clears the air by announcing to all: April is mad at Andy for not telling her that he loves her back, and the missing Li'l Sebastian is Tom's fault. Andy tells April that he does in fact love her and the two embrace, while Tom apologizes to Jerry. Later on, Li'l Sebastian is found in the corn maze. Once the power returned, Andy, April, Ron, Tom, and Jerry head into the maze to retrieve the mini horse; Ron humorously notes that it took them 4 hours to solve the maze, whereas it took Li'l Sebastian 15 minutes. Leslie learns the power outage was due to television crews plugging into the grid. The only replacement generator in Pawnee is at the Wamapoke Casino, and Leslie humbly asks Ken to loan it to her in exchanged for placing a Wamapoke cultural exhibit near the Harvest Festival entrance. Ken agrees, and during the festival opening the next morning, he performs a hack ceremony to remove the "curse". People begin to swarm into the festival, and Ben returns to apologize to Leslie for being a coward. She reassures him the festival is as much his accomplishment as hers, and even has Ken break Ben's "curse". In the end, Ben warms to Li'l Sebastian, but admits to the camera crew that he still doesn't get it. Quotes Perd Hapley: The statement that this reporter has is a question. Ken Hotate: There are two things I know about white people: they love Rachel Ray, and they are terrified of curses. April: I love you. Andy: Dude, shut up! That is awesome sauce! Leslie: an announcement ''Okay, everybody, the Harvest Festival is tomorrow! And I am so proud of all of you. You have worked so hard; you're amazing. So, I have surprise. ''is looking tired ''And it is possibly the best thing to potentially ever happen to anyone, anywhere, in the history of the universe. Ladies and Gentlemen, the world famous Li'l Sebastian! '''Tom:' surprised ''What?? No way! '''Leslie: '''Yes! ''excluding Ben, excitingly cheers as Jerry proudly brings in Li'l Sebastian Tom: '''I never thought I'd get to meet him! '''Andy: It's really him! Ron: rejuvenated ''Well done, Leslie, well done! '''Leslie:' Li'l Sebastian made his debut at the last Harvest Festival in 1987 and he was an instant phenomenon. For the next few years, Sebastian was the #1 boys name in Pawnee... and the #3 girls name. Ben: So, what am I missing? What's the deal of this pony? Tom: He's not a pony, Ben - he's a mini horse. There's a big difference. Ben: '''Well, then, why is he so famous? Does he do something? What does he do? '''Ron: Son, this horse has an honorary degree from Notre Dame. is even more confused Leslie: ''the Parks Department about Li'l Sebastian This little guy is 25, now. And he has cataracts in both eyes and has severe arthritis. '''Jerry: 'him and Li'l Sebastian ''We are both on the same diabetes medication. '''Ben:' Yeah, I... I just got to be honest. I don't know what the big deal is. Leslie: beat ''Get out. '''Ben:' Man... you are just knocking these off. You're like a ninja crossed with a Jedi or something. Tom: You're like a nerd mixed with a dork or something. Ben: Tom, Star Wars is not that nerdy. Joan Callamezzo: ''Li'l Sebastian Are you f**king kidding me??! You got Li'l Sebastian?? ''over for a better view Ken Hotate: During the battle, 93 year old Chief Oxcatay was shot 102 times by the calvary. Tom: Did he die? Leslie: You're all amazing, wonderful people and I really want you to have fun today and not focus on the fact that if one thing goes wrong, we're all gonna lose our jobs. Ben: That's not inspiring. Donna: Normally, people tell you to talk about your problems. I'm gonna recommend you bottle that noise up. Ann: That's what my mailman said. April: I'm not mad at Andy. Andy's great. I awesome sauce Andy. Ron: All of you be quiet! Andy, she's mad because you said "awesome sauce" instead of "I love you too." April, he loves you - stop being a child. Tom, you're clearly at fault here - blaming Jerry won't save you. Jerry, we both know you were shotgunning funnel cakes instead of watching Li'l Sebastian. So everyone apologize to everyone else! Ron: We spotted him from the top of the Ferris wheel at the center of the corn maze. After the power came back on, we went and got him. It took us 4 hours to solve that maze; it took the horse 15 minutes. chuckles Jerry's still out there. again as the camera shows a tired Jerry eating corn I suppose I ought to go look for him... right after I get a bratwurst. Andy: I do love you. April: You do? Andy: Yeah... that's what, you know, makes the sauce so awesome. Ben: ''to Leslie about Li'l Sebastian' 'I totally get it now. '''Ben:' ''to the camera about Li'l Sebastian ''I don't get it. At all. It's kind of a small horse, I mean what am I missing? Am I crazy?